Archive for February, 2018

EUA has published its Open Access Survey Report 2016-2017. It tracks European universities’ progress towards Open Access by looking at the degree to which they have implemented institutional policies and practices in the field. At the same time, EUA is launching its 2017-2018 Open Access Survey.

EUA has published a policy position on Smart Specialisation (RIS3). Approved by the Association’s Council on 26 January, EUA developed the paper in collaboration with its Expert Group on Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation.

The document presents key messages from the university sector for maximising the effectiveness of smart specialisation strategies for regional development, with a view to defining the priorities for the post-2020 period. It provides recommendations for further actions relevant to policy-makers at regional, national and European levels.

How knowledge diplomacy can strengthen relations between countries to meet challenges

What connects international higher education with international relations and pressing global challenges such as climate change, epidemics, food security and terrorism? Is it knowledge diplomacy, strengthening relations between countries to address pressing issues, or a growing knowledge divide?

Eleven universities, including Ghent University, La Sapienza in Rome and the Freie Universität Berlin, are urging the European Commission to set a target under its next research framework programme of spending at least 10% of the budget on social sciences and humanities.

The medical profession has an ethic: First, do no harm. Silicon Valley has an ethos: Build it first and ask for forgiveness later. Now, in the wake of fake news and other troubles at tech companies, universities that helped produce some of Silicon Valley’s top technologists are hustling to bring a more ethical approach to computer science.

Disruption is popular. Business leaders are constantly reminded that disruption lurks around every corner, that they must disrupt their industries or even their own companies to succeed. In many cases though, disruption is destructive and people lose their jobs in the process.

In a world where the strategic focus of organisations is on competing and disrupting, it is difficult for business leaders to do social good. From a blue ocean perspective, however, this doesn’t have to be the case – what is good for business can be good for society. Here is why and how business and society can go hand-in-hand.

By Jonathan Nicholls – in University World News.
The UK’s HE funding debate should consider what skills may be needed for the future.

The United Kingdom is at the centre of a debate on fees and employability, but we are now in the midst of the digital revolution and cannot easily predict what skills we will need in the future and what kind of jobs will exist. It is vital we ensure that our education system is based on teaching a range of skills for a rapidly changing world.

The European research funding divide between longstanding European Union member states and the newer ones has barely improved in the EU’s eighth framework programme, Horizon 2020. Eastern European states are urging strengthening of the ‘Widening Participation’ measures.

Vice-chancellors are enjoying fat pay cheques while students rack up debts from rocketing fees. Is it time to revolutionise the financial model, treat fees as an investment and share some of the surplus, whenever there is one, with staff and students?

Think you don’t have time for research? You can’t afford not to. Unless you are teaching only, when it comes to promotion you will generally be measured by your research output and your standing in your discipline. So make a long-term plan and stick to it.